The passive

•We use the passive construction when there is no need to mention the people who do the action or when the people are unknown.

•It is formed by be + past participle.

Compare active and passive sentences

Active: Someone locks the office every evening.

Passive: The office is locked every evening.

People buy good luck flowers.

Good luck flowers

are bought.

be + past participle

What do people do at Chinese New Year?

Parents give lucky money to children.

Children

are givenlucky money.

be + past participle

What do people do at Chinese New Year?

Lucky money

is givento children.

be + past participle

What do people do at Chinese New Year?

Parents give lucky money to children.

Regular verbs

Active Passive

collect is/are collectedperfor

mis/are performeddecorate is/are decorated

tie is/are tied

Practice

use is/are usedvisit is/are visited

give

sweeplightbuy

Irregular verbs

is/are givenis/are sweptis/are litis/are bought

Active Passive

eat is/are eatendo is/are doneput is/are putburn is/are burnt

People eat moon cakes at Mid-Autumn Festival.

Moon cakes are eaten at Mid-Autumn Festival.

Practice

People sweep graves with brooms at Ching Ming Festival.

Graves are swept with brooms at Ching Ming Festival.

People light lanterns at Mid-Autumn Festival.

Lanterns are lit at Mid-Autumn Festival.

THE END